Switching apparatus



E. W. ADAMS.-v

SWITCHING APPARATUS. APPLICATION-FRED FEB. M. 1918.

1 ,'309,231. Patented July 8,1919.

I I F707. .7.

M VFW/0K- [4767K W. Adan 1.52.

But the contacts of each of the sets 8 are secured between insulating strips 6 so as to occupy a different elevation in the bank from that of corresponding contactsof each of the sets 7 Briefly stated, this arrangement results in a bank construction wherein each set of contacts is vertically staggered relative to the next adjacent set. The bank '0, having thus been assembled, is made secure by means of the clamping plate 9 and apertures form the bearings for a shaft 11 which is loosely journaled for rotation therein. Shaft 11 may be connected to some source of power so as to be constantly or periodically driven to furnish operating power for each of the switch units with 'which it is associated. The means whereby said shaft '11 may receive its rotation from a suitable source of power, is well known in the art, and not forming any substantial part of the invention is neither shown nor described in detail. Loosely journaled upon shaft 11 for both rot-ative and longitudinal movements relative thereto, is a spider mem- 'ber 11 having the radially extending arms 12 and 13. A contact structure is attached to the ends of each of the arms 12 and 13, and is adapted to be rotated thereby about shaft 11 to bring the movable contacts 15, 16 and 17 into cooperative engagement with the successive-sets 7 and S of stationary contacts in the bank 5. These movable contact structures, one of which is clearly shown in Fig. 3 consists of three plates 18, 19 and 20 of conducting material having integrally projecting portions to-provide respectively the movable contacts 15, 16 and 17. Plates 18,119 and 20 are also each provided with a second integral portion extending downwardly. as seen at 21. The said conducting plates are insulated from each other and are securely held in position by spacing pieces of insulating material. The contact structure, when assembled in this manner, is clamped together by means of screws 23, which pass into tapped holes in arms 12 and 13 to fasten said structure thereto. The

upper and lower contacts 15 and 17 are off-' set by giving them an opposite bend so that the lateral contacting surfaces of all three contacts 15, 16 and 17 lie in the same "ertical plane. The depending portions 21 of plates 18, 19 and 20. are overturned and have fastened thereto, as by means of rivets, resilient wipers 24. W'ipers 2% are designed to maintain a constant sliding contact with a corresponding series of conducting rings 25, which are mounted'concentrically of shaft 11 upon the supporting surface 3 plate 1. A circular layer of insulation serves to insulate the conducting rings from the frame of-the switch. I

The operating power of spider 11 duringits rotation about shaft 11, is derived from a splral spring 27, one end of which is fastened to the housing cup 28 and the other end to a ratchet wheel 29. The cup 28 and ratchet 29 are both arranged upon the common shaft 11 so as to be capable of rotation relative thereto, and are held in proper vertical position by collars 30 and 31, each of which are secured to shaft 11 by set screws. The collar 30 has a semi-circular notch in the side thereof adapted to receive the curved end 32 of a spring 33, Fig. 2. Spring 33 is fastened to a post which is secured to the under-side. of ratchet wheel 29. Said spring 33, which resiliently interconnects shaft 11 and ratchet 29 by means of its engagement with the notch in collar 30. is of such force that, by clockwise rotation of the power shaft 11, the ratchet 29, to which such spring is attached, is constrained to participate in a like rotation. thereby winding up the motor spring 27. \Vhcn, how, ever, motor spring 27 becomes properly tension'ed, its resistance against further windof 2G ing is sufficient to overcome'the holding force of spring 33 in the notch of collar 30. and the curved end 32 of such spring 33 now slips out of said notch and rides over the surface of the constantly rotating collar 30. A spring-pressed pawl 16 holds the ratchet wheel 29 from backward rotation.

The housing cup 28 under the influence of motor spring 27, is arranged to rotate spider 1 1 with its movable contact structures during the operation of the switch. To this end, cup 28 is provided with a pair of pins 35 which extend upwardly and enter loosely into holes in lugs 36 carriml-hy each of the arms 12 and 13.: By such an arrangement the spider 11' may be moved vertically with respect to shaft 11 without the pins 35 disengaging lugs 36, whereby said spider is at all times under the rotative influence of the spring-driven cup 28.

A pair of controlling magnets 37 and 38 are provided for each switch and are conveniently mounted upon the supporting late 1 as shown in Fig. 1. These magnets iave a common armature 39 pivoted between brackets such 10. One end of armature 39 is fork-shaped with each of the arms thereof provided with a pin 41. These pins are arranged in a slot 42 of spider llso that said spider is free to rotate independently of armature 39, but is forced to move axially of the shaft 11 upon the arn'iature 39 being tilted about its pivot. The other end of armature 39 is provided with notches 4?, which are engaged by a roller 11 carrie'don the spring -15. In this manner the spring 45 llO serves to resiliently hold the armature 39 in one or the other of its operated positions, with spider 14 and its associated movable contact structures in the corresponding vertical position. I

- The operation of the switch is as follows: The constantl rotating shaft 11 operates, as was herein fore explained, to maintain the motor spring 27 in its normal or tensioned condition. The spring27 being thus tensioned and having its inner end fastened to the ratchet 29, which ratchet is restricted from rotatingby a pawl 46, exerts its force upon the housing cup 28 to which its outer end is fastened, Figs. 1 and2; The cup. 28 being urged by spring 27 to rotate, operates through the medium of pins '35 to apply a force to the spider 14, tending-to rotate the same in a clockwise direction as-viewed in. Fig. 2. Assume that the switch at the termination ofits last eration was left in the position illustrated y the switch shown infull in Fig. 1; that is, with the armature I 39 tilted so as to elevate the spider 14 to .its

uppermost. vertical position.

zontal alinement with the respective contacts of a set of stationary contacts 8 occupying thehigher elevation in the bank 5.. This set' ofstationary-contacts 8 with which the movable contacts 15, 16 and 17 are now in engagement, act as stop members to arrest and hold the spider 14 from further rotation under the force of motor spring 27. When the switch is again taken for use, the controlling magnet 38 is energized to attract armature 39 to its alternate position, thereby causing.

the spider 14 to be moved downwardly to its lower elevation. As the movable contacts '15, 16 and :17 are thus moved downwardly they pass outofhorizontal alinement with the contacts of the stationary. set 8, and consequently are permitted to escape therefrom to be driven'forward by motor spring 27.

.However, in their newly assumed position,

said movablecontacts are now in horizontal .alinementwith. the contacts of the next succeeding set, which, as was heretofore described,is a set-7 occupying the lower position in',bank,5.. The movable contacts are therefore again brought to rest by engagement with the stationary set 7. The con- I trolling. magnet 37 is now energized and spider is once'more shifted to itsupper position, allowing the movable contacts 15, 16

and 17 to escape and to be driven forward another. step into engagement with'fthe next stationary set 8. Controllingv magnets 37 and 38 are alternately energized and -de'- energized, the spider 14-recipro'cated axially onthe shaft 11 and driven forward by motor spring 27 step by step until the movable contacts 15, 1'6 and 17 are .broughtinto en gagementwith the proper' set of stationary In this case,- the set ofmovable contacts 15, 16 and 17 carried by the arm 12 are brought into horicontacts in bank 5, at which time magnets 37 and 38 cease to operate. During the reciprocatingmovement of spider 14, the wipers .24 maintain contact with conducting rings '25. It will be observed that bv providing two sets of movable. gntacts, each of which are adapted to cooperate with stationary 'con tacts of the bank it is only necessary to arrange saldstationary contacts to .cover approximately an arc of 180. See Fig. 2.

By such a provision the spider 14 upon rotating to carry a set of movable contacts out of coiiperative relation to the contact bank at one extremity, simultaneously placesthe other set of movable contacts in working relation to the bank at its other extremity.

Considering the diagram of Fig. 5, there isshown one manner in which the above described switch may be employed as a line or.

distributing switch in telephone. systems. f In accordance withthis application of the invention, each switch is individual to'anincoming circuit, such as the tele hone line leading from a subscribers substatlon 47. By connccting'the'three conductors 48, 49 and 50 of the incoming line tov conducting rings 25, said lineis always inelectrical connection with the particular set of movable contacts a "relay 52, to the conducting segment of an interrupter 53, and from-here" the circuit-is alternately. completed first. to controlling magnet 37, and then to controllingmagnet 38.v Magnets 37 and 38 operate as above de scribed ,'to reciprocate the contacts 15, 16 and 17, and thereby permit their step-by-step rotation into engagement successively with the stationary contact sets '7 -and 8. Trunk circuits that are idle are. characterized by the presence of a selectable potential on the test contact thereof. As :soon then asthel test contact 17 encounters a' stationary test;

contact having such a condition thereon, a circuit is established for the cut-off relay 52.1 Relay 52 attracts: its armatures and causes the denergizationiof line-relay -51,

which inturn causes the operation of the swlfflh tbfceafi After eachoperation, the switch; remains [in its set position in readiness' to extend an: other connection when :again taken for It will be "obvious to iothersfskillcd inithe art that. many changes by engagement with each of said stationary contacts, and'reciprocating means operated to move said movable contact to disengage the same from said stationary contacts.

2. In a switch, a movable contact, means for driving said contact, a series of stationary contacts ar 'anged to be engaged by said movable contact, the movement of said movable contact being arrested successively by engagement with each ofsaid stationary contacts, and means for moving the movable contact to disengage the same from each of said stationary contacts.

3.'In a switch, a movable contact, means for driving said contact, a series of other contacts arranged to be engaged by said movable contact, the movement of said movable contact being arrested successively by engagement with each of the contacts of said series, and a reciprocating device operated to disengage the movable contact from each of the contacts of said series.

4. In a switch, a movable contact, a motor for driving said contact, a series of other contacts arranged to be engaged by said movable contact, the movement of said movable contact being arrested successively by engagement with each of the contacts of said series, and electromagnetic means for imparting a reciprocating movement to said movable contact for disengaging the same from each of the contacts of said series.

5: In a switch, a movable contact, a motor for driving said contact, a series of stationary contacts arranged to be engaged by said movable contact, the movement of said movable contact b ing arrested successively by engagement with each of said stationary contacts, and electromagnetic controlling means for moving the movable contact to disengage the same from each of said stationary contacts.

(3. In a switch, a movable contact, a constantly applied source of power for driving said contact. a series of stationary contacts arranged to be engaged by said movable contact. the movement of said movable contact being arrested successively by engagement with each of said stationary contacts, and controlling means for moving said movable contact out of engagement with each of said stationary contacts.

7. In a switch, a movable contact arranged to be driven rotatively, means for driving said contact, a series of stationary contacts arranged to be engaged by said movable contact, the movement of said contact being arrested successively by engagement with each of said stationary contacts, and means for displacing said movable contact transversely of its direction of rotation to disengage the same from each of said stationary contacts 8. In a switch,'movable contacts arranged to be driven rot-atively, means for driving said contacts, a series of stationary contacts arranged to be engaged by said movable c011- tacts, the movement of said movable contactsbeing arrested successively by engagement with each of said stationary contacts, and electromagnetic controlling mechanism for displacing said movable contacts transversely of their direction of rotation to disengage the same from each of said stationary contacts.

9. In a switch, a set of movable contacts arranged to be driven rotatively, means for driving said contacts, a. series of stationary contacts arranged to be engaged by said set of movable contacts, the movement of said movable contacts being arrested successively by engagement with each of said stationary contacts, and means for moving said movable contact set reciprocally in adirection transverse of its direction of rotation to disengage the movable contacts from said stationary contacts.

10. In a switch, a movable contact arranged to be driven rotatively, a motor for driving said contact, a series of stationary contacts arranged in an arcuate bank to be engaged by said movable contact, the movement of said movable contact being arrested by engagement with each of said stationary contacts, and electromagnets for imparting reciprocating motion to the movable contactto disengage the same from said stationary contacts.

11. In a switch, a series of stationary contacts, a movable contact arranged to be driven in a constant direction into engagement with each of said stationary contacts, said stationary contacts being arranged to arrest the movement of the movable contact by engagement therewith, means for imparting a reciprocating motion to said movable contact to disengage the same from said stationary contacts, and means for driving said movable contact.

12. In a switch, a contact bank comprising a series of sets of stationary contacts, said contact sets being arranged in groups, each group occupying a different elevation in the bank, a movable contact set, means for driving the same into engagement with said stationary contact sets, such engagement serving to arrest the movement of said movahle contact set, and means for shifting the movable contact set from one elevation to another to disengage the same from each of necting said shaft and carriage arranged to apply a constant driving force to said carriage, a plurality of sets of movable contacts mounted on said carriage and driven thereby into engagement with said sets of stationary contacts, the movement-of said' carriage being arrested successively by the engagement of the movable contact sets with each of said sets of stationary contacts, and electromagnets for reciprocating said carriage upon said shaft to disengage the movable contact sets from said sets of stationary contacts.

In witness whereof, my name this 7th day 1918. v

I hereunto subscribe of February A. D.,

EDGAR W. ADAMS.- 

